


Faithful

by Missy



Category: Back to the Future (Movies)
Genre: Bonding, Dogs, Family, Family Fluff, Gen, Yuletide Treat, bonding with animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 21:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5514503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy/pseuds/Missy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clara has no idea why Einstein is so special to Doc...until she sets about trying to forge a bond with the dog herself and discovers that loyalty comes in all shapes and sizes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Faithful

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TLvop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TLvop/gifts).



“Only you’d go all the way back to the future for a dog, Emmett,” remarked Clara fondly as the locomotive steamed its way through space and time. That was an example of her husband’s loyalty, and of his love of the few friends he’d made in his life; the dog was like a piece of him, she understood it immediately.

Clara’s own feelings on the subject were somewhat mixed. It wasn’t that she disliked pets – on the contrary she’d been raised among many loping, happy and well-tended to cats – it was that Einstein was clearly important to her husband. Her natural politeness kicked in and threatened to overrule her portentous intellect; she desperately wanted to make a good impression on a dog, of all things.

“Einstein is a very special animal,” explained her husband, his hand on the throttle and his eyes glimmering with their usual wild light. “He’s been the best assistant a man could have for the past five years, and I truly miss the furry fellow.”

Clara’s heart lit up at his words: other men would call her a subordinate, an assistant – to Emmett she was an equal, a partner. That was a victory in of itself. “I’m sure I’ll love him,” she said. And really meant it, truly and completely.

@@@@

Clara could assert one thing from sitting beside Einstein for a few minutes – he was certainly cute. 

Cute and mild-mannered – and perhaps, if a dog could be exasperated by the humans around it, fondly beleaguered. He’d survived his trip throughout time and space to come and rest at the family homestead, and now he sat warily beside Clara, his pink tongue lolling out and his front paw dipping off the family porch swing.

Jules came out of the house to stare. “D’you think he can play fetch, mama?”

“Not yet,” she said to the boy. “He’s a bit worn out from the trip.”

Jules eyed the dog, curious. “D’you think he’s friendly?”

“Your father,” Clara said, “wouldn’t keep a mean dog.”

Jules knew she was right – gave her a smile. “Let me know when he wakes up. I wanna play!”

Clara sat back on the swing with a smile. Playtime could come later. First would come the trusting.

@@@

They built a sense of loyalty up between them in gradual increments. Most days – no matter where they’d gone, or even what time they’d found themselves in – Einstein preferred to stay by Clara’s husband’s side, growling very softly when she made an approach. She tried to respect that. Started picking up self-help books along the way, to better prepare her and tutor her for the dog’s behavior. Einstein was entirely normal as far as she could gauge, and she intended to enrich his life for as long as he existed. 

She would be forced to apply her diplomatic skills to the situation – something she wasn’t afraid of doing. 

Determined to learn how he reacted to a leash, she found the proper implement on a store shelf in the 80s during a brief trip back. She held out the leash, careful to show it “Would you like to come walking?” she asked the dog. He took two steps forward and sat, with a tentative whine, on the threshold. 

She reached gently for his worn collar and looped the leash’s hook. Emmett had taught her the basic commands necessary to get the canine to move, and she was quite careful to apply them to the dog’s reactions, tailoring everything so Emmett would better understand her.

“Come, boy,” she said, whistling softly. “Heel!” The dog was obedient enough, following happily along beside her. “Good boy,” she praised quietly, and with that they were off for a walk in the wilderness.

The dog had clearly been deprived of contact with the natural world, Clara realized ruefully as he tugged hard on her lead and rushed up to every fallen stump and tumbled rock, sniffing it, fuzzy ears perked. She kept a hand on her sun bonnet and another on him, trying to follow along as he moved over rocky hill and sloping dale.

“Woah, boy!” She called, but dogs apparently weren’t keen on responding to directions the way horses were – he broke from the scent-related trance he’d been in and bolted to her side. Clara made a soothing sound of approval and together they headed to a quiet clearing where they could rest.

In the pine barren, alone with the pup, Clara took stock of their progress. He certainly seemed miles happier with her, and far less uncertain than he’d been before. He actually listened to her orders! And Doc wasn’t anywhere in sight. He’d certainly be proud to heard of this when he got back from his field trip to eighteen twenty with the boys.

“Einstein,” she said, slowly extending her hand. The dog sniffed it cautiously but didn’t make any motion, didn’t bite or scratch or try to carry her away by that hand. Instead he sat beside her and nosed at her fingers and let her pet at his head.

Well. That was an improvement.

His fur was soft, fluffy and warm against he skin, and as she petted it he lifted his head toward her fingers and shot her a look of total devotion. Suddenly, she understood exactly what Emmett’s attachment to the dog was, and why it was so important to bring him into the past with them. It was sometimes just that important to have a true friend beside you, someone who would understand when times got tough without further word. To have someone to listen when no one else would put up with you, basically. No wonder Emmett spent hours with the pooch hashing out ideas she’d find too wild and that the children didn’t fundamentally understand due to their ages.

Maybe that was all she needed, too – the mountain air, the scent of pine trees blooming in the air, and the feeling of a happy dog resting upon her feet, wagging his tail and wondering what comes next.

**Author's Note:**

> This is tooth-rottingly sweet, but I'll be darned if I don't love the Browns. Hope you had a great Yuletide!


End file.
